Bertrice Small – Dangerous Pleasures

The fourth book in the Channel series, published August 5, 2008.
Genre: erotica
Cover: nice
Re-read for the 5th time.



Widowed with five children, stay-at-home mom Annie Miller has just been getting by and growing restless because of it. Thinking Annie could use a vacation, her sister enters her in a contest sponsored by The Channel, a network that caters to delivering women’s fantasies. Anne wins the grand prize – a week’s stay at a luxurious new spa owned by the secret organization – and experiences the wonder of the Channel itself for the very first time, playing beauty to a naughty beast. Having the chance to live out her fantasies and work at the spa with a very sexy personal assistant at her side, Annie is suddenly discovering dreams she didn’t even know she had. And after experiencing a complete sexual awakening, she finds herself in danger of losing everything she has always held so dear...


My second favourite book in this series, and again featuring a woman discovering her self. Annie’s husband was killed two years ago, leaving her with 5 children to take care of on her own. And without adequate means to do so. Thanks to her lawyer sister and her parents who help her out, she can give her children some luxury. Her oldest son is going to college thanks to her sister, but her oldest daughter longs for all the trendy clothes and gadgets she needs to be part of the in-crowd at school. And Annie just can’t give her that. The twins are not as materialistic, and happy with what they do have, and their passion for animals, and little Wills is too young for anything just yet.
Her sister enters Annie in a contest, hoping that she will win one of 100 yearlong subscriptions for The Channel. As Annie will accept help on behalf of her children, she will not take anything for herself. But instead, Annie wins the grand prize, a weak at The Spa. And miraculously, she can attend, as her sister will take her oldest son with her to Europe, her three daughters will attend Summer Camp, like she and her sister enjoyed so many years ago, and her little boy will go to Disney World with his best friend and his parents.

And so Annie enters a world filled with luxury for the first time. A personal assistant to help her with everything, who plans her appointments and everything else. A massage, a manicure and pedicure, delicious but healthy food and drinks. And Annie gets to meet Nora Buckley, the woman who runs the Spa. And when asked for suggestions to improve the experience, she comes up with some really clever ones. And this all results in Nora hiring Annie to run the gift shop. Annie has no retail experience, but she is very good at is. She can work the hours her children are at school, and be home when the school bus brings them back. And when one of them gets sick, the Spa even provides her with a Nanny.

Mr Nicholas, the owner of The Channel Corporation, is very happy with Annie, and he plans on making her Nora’s replacement as the manager. And with providing her with a fulltime live-in Nanny, Annie jumps as the chance. She likes working, earning enough money herself to provide for her family. And ofcourse, the benefits are very nice as well... She sure discovers her own naughty side in the Channel, and in reality with her personal assistant ...


I really enjoy this one as well. Annie is tired of being a widow, the strong one, and having to turn every penny twice. So the opportunity to earn her own money and provide for her children, is a gift from heaven (or is it?).
In the Channel she can play all she wants, and in her job she can be the stern but fair manager. She discovers that she is good at her job, and she can be ruthless as well. She is in charge, and no-one will take that from her.

Yes, some nice and hot love scenes, but I love how Annie matures and enjoys her new life. The story itself is fun. But although I love Bertrice Small’s writing style, I know she drives others nuts with her flowery descriptions and her names for certain bodyparts.

9 stars.

© 2015 Reviews by Aurian